


The Pretty Psychic

by meridian_rose (meridianrose)



Series: Meet-Ugly allbingo fics 2019 [5]
Category: Midnight Texas (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Community: allbingo, First Meetings, Gen, Meet-Ugly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-08
Updated: 2019-03-08
Packaged: 2019-11-13 21:05:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18039023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meridianrose/pseuds/meridian_rose
Summary: Manfred's been ignoring Xylda's advice about going to Midnight. When he goes to meet a client at a hotel he embarrasses himself in front of a mysterious blonde woman who may just change his mind.For the allbingo meet-ugly prompt "i checked my hair in a car window not knowing you were inside. now you're making fun of me and i don't even know you"





	The Pretty Psychic

Manfred leaned over, squinting at his reflection and running his fingers through his unruly hair. No amount of product ever seemed to tame his curls and he really wanted to make a good impression on his new client. Stopping outside the hotel to check himself out in the black sports car window had seemed like a good idea.

Until the window slid down and a blonde woman stared at him. "Can I help you?" she asked icily.

"Um, no. Sorry." Manfred was mortified, heat rising in his cheeks. "I was just tidying my hair." So pathetic! Oh God, this woman was attractive though with an air of danger about her and now he'd embarrassed himself .

"Your hair?" The woman smirked. "Really?"

"I didn't see you sitting in there."

"Tinted windows give privacy," the woman said. "They're for my benefit, not for passers-by to groom themselves in."

"Sorry," Manfred said again. His thoughts were still racing but the woman seemed more amused than angry now and he said, "I was just trying to make sure I looked good for my client."

The woman got out of the car. She was taller than average, dressed in a red dress and long black heeled boots. A small bag, hung on a gold chain, dangled from one shoulder. "Escort?"

"What?"

"You're a gigolo? Your client hired you to come and look pretty. At least for starters," the woman said, giving Manfred an appraising look that made him feel vulnerable and under-dressed. Even for his more expensive clientele, Manfred could only rustle up black jeans and a white shirt with his usual leather jacket.

"No," Manfred said, unsure if he should be outraged or complimented. "I'm a medium."

"Oh," the woman said. "Ripping women off in a totally different way."

That was too far and Manfred drew himself to his full height. "I'm the real deal. Manfred Bernado, grandson of Xylda."

"If you insist, Manfred." The woman headed for the hotel entrance. Manfred trailed along. She gave him a glance. "You're meeting your client in a hotel room and you're still denying you're an escort?"

"Aren't you doing the same thing, meeting someone in a hotel room?" Manfred snapped as they reached the elevators. She might be staying here of course but he had to make the attempt at pushing back against the woman's barbs, even if he didn't quite dare to outright call her an escort in turn.

"Touché," she said. There was silence as they rode the elevator alone up to the sixth floor, no-one else joining them.

Manfred let the woman get off first. She turned left, he to the right. He knocked on the door and waited for Mrs Fane to let him in.

*

The attractive blonde wasn't the only one who thought Manfred was a fraud. He'd channelled the late Mr Fane, passed on wishes of love and some advice to the widow, and was taking a well earned rest and drink of water after the possession when there was a hammering on the door.

"Mother! Open up!"

Mrs Fane paled. "Oh dear. Bertie doesn't like me seeing you."

"Any chance he'll leave?"

Further knocks, followed by kicks that rattled the doorframe, suggested he wouldn't.

"I'll talk to him," Mrs Fane said, though Manfred was inclined to call hotel security, a thought he wished he'd followed through on when Robert burst into the room the moment the door was opened.

"You!" Bertie bellowed, advancing on Manfred. He lacked Manfred's height but he was a large man and was red-faced with fury. "Defrauding my mother! Spending my inheritance!"

"Please, Bertie," Mrs Fane begged but Bertie ignored her.

"I'll show you what happens to frauds!" Bertie grabbed Manfred by the throat.

Manfred scrabbled at Bertie's hands, gasping for air. The man was strong and spurred on by his anger. Mrs Fane was begging Bertie to stop but with all the urgency of a mother asking her child to please come down to dinner.

"Hey, asshole!" The blonde woman stalked into the room brandishing a baton. She whacked Bertie behind his knees, making the man stumble and release Manfred, before she hit Bertie again at the nape of his neck.

Manfred scrambled away, rubbing at his throat with one hand, and grabbing for the pendant and lighter from the table where he'd performed the ritual, with his other. He stuffed them back into his jacket pocket. The woman glowered at Bertie who was now stunned and staring up at her.

"We're leaving and so help me if you follow us I will break your fucking arms," the woman said. "Manfred?"

"Coming." 

Together they backed away, Mrs Fane wringing her hands and saying "Oh, Bertie" over and over. Manfred didn't relax until they were in the elevator once more. The woman folded up the baton and slid it into her bag.

"Thank you," he said. "I don't even know your name."

She shrugged, gave him a hard stare and then said, "Olivia."

Manfred sighed, rubbed at his neck once more. "Thank you, Olivia. The stress of the possessions is one thing but the danger of live humans is another."

"I guess Bertie's not the only one who's been endangering your life?"

"No." He shook his head. "My grandmother keeps telling me I should lie low for a while."

"Xylda?"

She'd been paying attention. "Yes."

"And where's she?"

"Dead."

No apology or sympathy followed and somehow he hadn't expected one, not from this forthright woman. Olivia merely regarded him for a long moment until the elevator doors opened and they headed into the lobby. "So your dead grandmother gives you advice?"

"Yes. She wants me to find somewhere called Midnight," he said and Olivia stopped so suddenly he almost walked into her.

"You're sure she said Midnight?"

"Yes. Some remote town where I'll be safe, or so Xylda says."

Olivia walked out the door and to her car. "If you're lying to me I will kill you."

Somehow Manfred didn't doubt it. "I'm not lying!"

"You have a car?"

"A camper van, but I parked it a couple of miles away and took the bus."

Olivia nodded sharply. "Then get in. I'll take you to your van and then you can follow me home. Because when something like this happens it's never a coincidence. We'll see if that's in your favour or not soon enough."

Manfred hesitated. "Why would I follow you home?"

"Because I live in Midnight and it's true. Someone on the run or someone claiming to have supernatural powers, they'll be safe there. You're both of those things, right?"

A town with others like him? Manfred was intrigued. " I guess so."

Olivia started the car. "Then get in Manfred. Or does the pretty psychic have somewhere else he wants to be?"

Manfred felt the same way about coincidences. He was meant to meet Olivia, he was sure of it. He didn't trust her yet but given that she'd saved him once already today, he couldn't see the harm.

He got into the car.

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't resist the gigolo reference and highly recommend, if you're a fan of François Arnaud, and can find it, the movie Moroccan Gigolos. (and if you need help finding English subs, hit me up [at tumblr](http://meridianrose.tumblr.com/) or find my dreamwidth account in my profile).


End file.
